Passion Days
by MistY BluE
Summary: CH. 6 UPLOADED - This is all about the teenage things that Yugi, Téa, Tristan and Joey--the whole gang goes though. School's out and Téa's a dancer...! (JoeyxTéa!!)
1. School's Out! So is Joey's Mind

                  **Passion Days**

**CHAPTER 1 – School's Out!  So is Joey's Mind…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Wow this is my first Yu-Gi-Oh! Fic, I'm so excited.  ^^; Just to give you a brief summary it's about accomplishing your dream, love, and all the teenage la-dee-da things we experience.  But read and have…fun…yeah.  Crap I don't have any other author notes.  REVIEW but DOUSE THOSE FLAMES!  I can't stand flames, and it's vice versa; if flamers can't stand me, then I can't stand them so don't bother reviewing.  I'll accept improvement on what to add or omit from my fic.  Thank ya!  Enjoy.

***--***

The bell rings to dismiss of Domino High for the summer.  Papers soared beyond Heaven's height while other boys and girls raced down the winding hallway with toilet paper zigzagging across lockers and rooms.  Their theory was trashing the school on the last day; it's not such a bad idea, actually.

It was glory day for all students, especially the particular individuals everyone was most fond of: Bakura, whom was trying to heave himself through the swinging doors without being cooed by girls or flattened into a pancake with the stampede.  Kaiba couldn't have cared less about what he made of his free three-month holiday in the sun; he had the money to blow.  Miho was concerned about creating dinner plans and pool parties--the usual for a popular, squealing girl.  

Then there came Téa, Tristan, and Yugi who were absolutely thrilled with grins plastered on their faces.  Tomorrow would be Téa's big day because of her ballet recital.  Tristan and Yugi focused on jumping into a shipment of dueling cards that arrived to Yugi's grandpa's Game Shoppe.  

"I really don't get why people use toilet paper."  Yugi began.

"What the?  Yugi, that just makes me curious to ask where the heck you go to take a whiz…" Tristan formed a twisted expression to his face, mostly emphasizing his eyebrows.

"I didn't mean it _that_ way," he blushes, "I guess I need to clarify it.  I meant that why trash the school if you're coming back next year…and the year after that.  Even better if you're staying back—"

Téa rolls her teal eyes and blinks gently, "Well, it's fine for the seniors.  They blame the freshmen, because we'll be back next year and they won't.  We'll be sophomores and still get the blame.  What I'm saying is, don't bother defending yourself from upperclassmen.  If we did the toilet-papering ourselves we'd still get the same punishment…" She paused and questioned to herself why she was making a point about toilet paper.

"Good point, Téa.  We should toilet paper the halls next year.  You never know when you need to wipe your ass."  Joey voiced his opinion bluntly causing his friends' faces fault anime style.  

"I need to find new girl friends."  Téa added quietly while staring at her beaming boys that were still amazed about the wonders of toilet paper.  

---***---

First day of summer break, and yet there was still something wrong.  Something that had to be nitpicked from all of them.  Joey said he had to stay home; reason unknown to their minds.  

Joey had plunked his thin body onto a plain, junky mattress.  He kicked his feet up with his knees bent while brushing the soles of his sock-covered feet against the cotton softness of his bed.  Staring at the ceiling with a poster of Faye Valentine from _Cowboy Bebop_, he decided to make up a list of priorities.

_1.) __Get in contact with…_

He sprung up and darted his eyes around his room wildly.  _Serenity,_ he thought.  "Damn, I forgot all about her lately.  Shit, how could I be so stupid?"  Joey slicked his dark blonde hair out of his eyes abruptly with his lean hand.  

With a hop off of his bed, he pulled the black phone cord underneath a pile of clothes and the feeling of calling his younger sister built up a small bubble of warmth surrounding him; protecting him from any other force or stress he didn't predominantly crave for, so to speak.  

Joey had forgotten that his younger sister's required surgery needed to be soon.  He examines the voicemail messages in the red, digital numbering.  Six messages.  Three messages were from either Tristan or Yugi.  A familiar voice broke the other three messages.

_"_Voice Message: June 1st at 11:03 A.M.: '_Guess who Joey.  I've phoned and phoned you from the past two weeks and only worked up three messages for you.  This is the last one, big brother.  I wanted to make plans with you; you know how much I miss you and Mom still hasn't saved up enough money for me to take the train down to Domino City to see you—that is, if I still have enough blur in my eyesight to make out your face.(a few sniffs and sobs)I'm so scared that if every time I call, Dad will pick up and start yelling at me.  Please Joey, I miss you and I'm worried.  Talk to you later.  Love you.(small relieving sigh)'_"

"Damn it."  He knocked down his fist into his pillow.  Eagerly the boy dials the digits to his sister's home.  Joey taps his foot to the rhythm of the rings, each time getting more and more anxious.  Finally Serenity answered the phone with a pleasant voice.

"Hi, Serrie, I-I'm so sorry, I don't use my phone much.  My friends complain all the time…"  He dwelled through his head, searching for more sympathetic words to appease his sister's paranoia.

"Well, who cares?  I'm just really…mad between the gap we're in.  I can't take it, please when can I see you?!  --Remember the time when we were little?  When you said that we were the best team since Scooby Doo and Shaggy?"

This caused him to blush a deep rouge coloring; _Good thing the guys aren't here to hear that…_he mused_._  "Yeah, Ser', I know we're not going through the best times here, but I have the mon—"

"And when Shaggy fell into the well, what did Scooby do?  He SAVED HIM.  Now why won't you save me?"

--***--

The trio that consists of Yugi, Tristan and Téa, for the time being, were relaxing in a booth sipping on milk shakes.  

"So are you all coming to my dance recital tomorrow?"  Téa inquired enthusiastically.

Yugi and Tristan exchanged glances and as if on cue starting bubbling up their shakes blowing through the straw simultaneously.  Téa's face faulted.

--***--

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Review and tell me if ya want me to continue it!!! ^_^  I hope you all really liked it!  


	2. Definitely Téa's Night

**Passion Days**

CHAPTER 2: Definitely Téa's Night 

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Okay, there's basically nothing to say but to enjoy the fic.  It seems as if everyone likes it so I'm writing this on the double.  –If you really can't stand to even see the lyrics to a Selena song or even see it MENTIONED…please leave. ^_^  Anyway, peace out.

_Italic text signifies people's thoughts._

**/\**

That following sultry evening, Téa observed herself in her wardrobe mirror.  She glazed her prudent fingertips over the frill just below the cleavage of her buxom chest then descending to the French corsét-like piece of her costume that fit her body like a glove to a hand.  Downward beneath her waist there was a flowing, lustrous beauty of silk material that cropped at mid-thigh; the attire's coloring were of somber, neutral shades.

Téa gave the finishing touches to her hair into a tight bun with bobby pins, not a piece left unraveled; a perfectionist in the making.  Finally she applied her cosmetics, which were of red lipstick, midnight blue eyeshadow and pastel pink blush; the equivalent of a porcelain doll!  She spritzed some hair spray, grabbed her windbreaker and left for her father's car grabbing her pointe shoes on the way out the door to the Domino High School auditorium.

**/\**

"Hi!  Welcome to Diana's School of Dance, here are your programs.  Enjoy the show!"  One of the dance instructors beamed as she handed three boys their programs.

The suspicious looking boys nodded and nonchalantly walk into the barely dimmed auditorium flashing their tickets.

"Tristan!!  I can't see with these dark sunglasses on!  DID I FORGET TO MENTION I HATE LEATHER!  I'M CHAFING!"  Yugi shouted while tugging at Tristan's arm.

"Will you shut up?!  I don't want to be here just as much as Joey but in order for no one to recognize us, you need to shut your piehole and buck up, okay?"  Joey patted Yugi's spiky hair and bustled it in a circular motion as if he were some sort of puppy dog.  Tristan chuckled at the sight.

_THAT'S IT!  I'M CALLING OUT YAMI!_

/Yami, wake up!!/

//…//

/Yami you know you want to watch your girlfriend…/

//Who the blating hells are you calling my girlfriend?  Téa?  Did you screw around with your sennen eye again?  You're the one who's enthralled with her, aibou.//

/Please.  She wants to see you more than she does me.  I'm a midget, and she's so much taller than me.  I don't have a chance./

//Oh for the love of Amon-Ra, head for the restroom and release me.//

/You're a self-centered, drill sergeant aren't you?/

//Pharaoh, yes.  Drill sergeant—methinks not in this millenium.//

/Okay…mind if you wear leather?/

//My specialty.//

"Yugi, where are you going?  I don't know if we should trust you going ANYWHERE after your eyeballs were rolling around and making gestures like you were talking to King Tut."  Joey placed his arm around Yugi's shoulders delicately whilst crouching a tad to meet Yugi's height better.  

"Umm…something along the lines of that…heh, heh.  I have to go to the bathroom."

"Sure you know how to use toilet paper, now?"  Tristan queried adding a wink picking up a leftover piece of T.P. from the previous day.  Joey stifled a snicker shoddily and came out as a snort instead; he is straightening up fixing the clear wrap of the bouquet of deliciously sweet flowers.   

Yugi grimaced, ruffling his eyebrows and brusquely shifted to his left to the men's room.  

"Man, we'd better cut the shenanigans before he really goes medieval on us.  He's a good kid; 'don't want him to end up like us, huh!"  The two tall boys chuckled as they sat in their designated seating.

Tristan discarded Joey's shunning attitude from yesterday.  Still, Joey wasn't himself emotionally.  He couldn't stop quivering since he had the conversation with his sister.  Though, it was so slight you wouldn't be able to tell unless you had him balance a needlepoint on the tip of his finger.  Joey could damn well notice it, however.  There was no way of getting her off his mind now.  He inwardly cussed at himself for not asking her to come to Téa's recital; the girls got along so well, too.  

**/\**

Téa's number had come and she gracefully enchanted every step of her dance along the way.  There were two other girls dancing with her to "Dreaming Of You" by Selena.  The song was a sweet-hearted serenade about telling that special someone that you love him or her.  It was a typical flowing song for a ballet pointe routine; lots of pirouette fan-kick turns and leaps.  Elegant and a dessert for the eyes.  Tristan, who was most reluctant about showing up, was in awe how swift and on the ball Téa was at ballet.

Yami resumed the role of Yugi without anyone knowing there was a difference, only in an insignificant height change.  No one realized it at all.  Within about three minutes, the routine was over.  The girls leapt to the right of the stage and exited out when the curtains closed in addition to the screaming and whistling of the audience clapping at full volume.  Joey, Yami, and Tristan were absolutely living forms of rigamortus; they had a piercing sense of utter amazement.  The only motion they made was swerving their eyes to each other clenching onto the armrests.

"Hey Téa," a girl who was on stage with her just a minute ago motioned her to walk over to her, "Umm—"

"I think we did a great job!  Did you hear the audience howling?!"  Téa was more than ecstatic; no need pressuring her to take drugs.

"That wasn't the only thing they were howling at, I'm afraid."  The two girls pointed to Téa's chest concurrently.  In Téa's mind she was hoping this wasn't happening.  She dreadfully hung her head staring at her bare chest that had been exposed to over 200 people and even children!  

_I—I—I can't believe this is happening.  I—I—I forgot to tie the string around my neck!  NIGHTMARE!  I am so gone…_

Saline liquid rushed to her eyes quickly as she scampered her way to the dressing area grasping her corsét for dear life.  Téa dug her face into her soft, inviting arms as she sat down at a table.  In confined seconds, she didn't have a dry spot left on her facade; make-up was blotched on her cheeks.   Soon after, the two dancers consoled Téa by rubbing her back gently.  

Joey nevertheless showed up on the scene with the fresh flowers.  The girls dispersed by Joey's signal towards them.  Téa continued to flow more water through the floodgates.  

He silently pressed up against her ear and whispered, "BOO," Téa jumped up from her arms and looked at Joey's smirking face, but looked oddly pleasant.

"Don't look at me."  She swiftly twisted her neck the opposite direction folding her arms across her chest tightly.

"These are for you," his voice was soothing.

"Trying to soften me up, are we?"  Téa responded curtly not changing her position.  "Just because you saw my…breasts," she hesitated, "doesn't mean you can act like I'm a Playboy bunny."  She escaped a soft cry lurching her shoulders forward.

Joey was taken aback and blinked intensely for a few seconds, "Téa, Téa, Téa.  Is this the Tenacious Téa I've known?  Crying over something completely worth crap?  Heh, bullshit.  Who are you and what have you done with the real Téa Gardner?"  

Her blood was just about boiled, steamed, and deep fried, "YOU THINK THIS IS CRAP?!  YOU THINK EXPOSING MY BOOBS TO OVER TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE IS WORTHLESS?!  WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING JOSEPH WHEELER YOUR BRAIN SUCKS!"  Téa scrunched her hands into full grown fists while shooting up in the air staring him square into chocolate paradise; did he have any idea how beautiful his eyes looked to women?  She collapsed onto the metal chair breathing heavily.

"Yeah, two hundred people you'll never see again.  Thank your lucky stars it wasn't a school assembly."  There was that smirk again.  She loathed that smirk.  Joey slid back into his chair with his legs sprawled out in bad posture and his limbs thrust back hanging over the support of the seat.  The leather jacket arms were rolled up to his elbows so you could glance at his well-toned forearm.  

"Oh, ARRRGHH!!  You're so annoying!  I can't stomach you!  Go find Mai Valentine she'll be glad to flash you her fake silicone-filled—GRR!!!"  Gnashing her teeth together, she gathered up her clothing and swung behind the changing petition as she hurled over he costume to hang until she finished dressing herself into normal clothing.

"Don't think you're the only one with problems, honey," Joey walked up to the petition, "override things before they get to ya.  Trust me, it'll help.  Who the hell cares what people thought about your breasts—you were a great ballerina.  People come to see their friends or family dance well, and that's all that matters to them.  You danced well, Téa and me, Yug' and Tristan are proud of you for that."  _Joey, you kick ass, _he mused.  

Ever so slowly Téa inched out from behind the petition's wall.  Her beauty shone greatly now than ever before.  She let her mahogany hair fall from the bun thus giving it a crimped look.  The teal blue of her eye created emphasis on the sapphire eyeshadow spread like the night sky over a carribean ocean.  Her lips glimmered a flesh pink colour.  The girl was clad in a black mini skirt, and a light blue silk blouse.  

_I'll give him a dose of his own medicine…_Téa began to smirk; she almost broke into laughter, but refrained.  Slyly she sways her hips from side to side as she approaches him.

"Hmm, very nice.  Smart, a shirt that buttons up.  Why still the box shoes, eh?"  Joey winked.

"Because I want to try something."  Joey's smirk was too contagious; it is still sticking to her face.

Téa boosted up onto her pointe shoes' flat carton at the tip of her toes to rely on the strength in her thighs.  She met Joey's altitude, curling her wrists inward below her pelvis area in a ballet-like state.  

_MAYDAY…WHAT'S SHE DOIN'…MAYDAY!!!  _Téa swung up her arms and blossomed them carefully onto Joey's shoulders.  _Uh oooooooh…I thought she liked Yugi!  Crap!  This goes to show that I don't keep up with Miho's gossip…_  _and why am I going weak in the knees?  I don't got those shoes on!  DAMN HER SEXINESS, DAMN IT ALL!  Did I HAVE to wink…_

Téa squished her torso against his and made the final move for a kiss.  Joey didn't want to stop after the first minute, he made a concluding decision:  Téa is too, too tempting!

**/\**

Yami and Tristan kept contemplating if one should go up and see if anything was wrong, as intermission had just started.  Yami took a stroll up the hall and Tristan went to buy a beverage in the lobby.  Just as he opened the door he decided to take a gander through the small window.  He then saw it—Joey and Téa?!  How could this have happened?

Yami released a long sigh, "Yugi isn't going to comprehend this kind of concept…" He caressed the millenium puzzle dangling from the thick string and closed his serene, violet eyes.  The boy twisted the opposite way and headed for the restroom…

**/\**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, I hope you REALLY liked this one…took me ages ^_^;  I made it long for you guys, too.  PLEASE REVIEW!  And remember, smoke and flames are PROHIBITED!     


	3. Sister Surgery, and Girlfriend Gripes

**Passion Days**

**CHAPTER 3: Sister Surgery and Girlfriend Gripes**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hmm.  I'm glad everyone's enjoying this so much!  As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever felt so confident in making a fic before.  THIS IS THE FIRST ONE I FEEL CONFIDENT ON!! Yeah, I'll be all right.  

**I also made up a completely random city not even in the series.  "Adriatic City," so don't give me that politically incorrect stuff and just enjoy it!  ^_^** Hope ya like this one guys!  Read and Review, ya know the drill.

**/\**

Téa was having merciless dream sequences from the night that drained the complete shame out of everyone; also known as Téa's dance recital.  Tossing and turning isn't a very good technique for sleeping, but that's how Téa tried to accomplish maybe an hour or two.  Then waking up and passing out again for another awkward hour or so.  

Ever since "the unspeakable" make out session, she and Joey hadn't been able to look at each other straight to save their lives.  Still, Yami kept the scene bottled up and held back from revealing the news to Yugi.  For if word did get out, the _yujo_, or _friendship_ of _Yu_gi and _Jo_ey would be cracked into tiny, glass pieces that would have to be tread upon carefully, or be cut with sheer pain of a broken heart.

A smidgen past twelve in the morning, Téa remained frustrated that she couldn't get her beauty sleep—"As if you need it, my spring flower," her father would respectfully say to his only daughter.

She bounced up against her pillow and propped herself up to stare at her mirror, as the mirror would stare right back at her.  Téa's facial expression was stern and fierce; gray circles shone through her creamy complexion beneath her eyes.  She crossed her arms and continued to gaze into her reflection when the eerie darkness of her room was pleasantly allowing this to be swallowed by moonlight.  

Téa suddenly came over a sense of sadness.  The adolescent girl escaped a tear and laid her neck back against the pillow and bedboard.

Her hand lifted to her forehead then stroked its way down, halting at her chin.  "Damn it, I'm calling Joey.  I bet he can't sleep over this whole thing, either!"  Téa rasped the whisper to herself; she wouldn't want to wake her father thinking she was a nut talking to herself at the wee hours of the A.M.  

Joey had chosen this night and the next couple of days to be with Serenity for her surgery in the late morning.  He had talked more with his sister every day after Téa's recital; it sort of became a habit for him, now, explaining to her when she was more calm that he had the money from dueling to pay for the medical bill.  Joey and Serenity lay peacefully asleep in the same bed.  Joey was breaking into a light snore and his sister snuggling up against his back—all of this going on in the next city over, and Téa hated it…why? 

Grabbing the railing, she wobbled downstairs acting like she was on a rigid bridge.  Mind you, it isn't easy trying to establish this in pitch-blackness.  Unexpectedly, Téa loses her footing and lands at the bottom with a big thump.

"WHO'S THERE?!"  Mr. Gardner slid out of his room clutching a baseball bat with both hands.

Téa grunted, "Daddy, it's just me…" She rubbed her forehead soothingly, struggling with her eyes as her father flickered on the hallway light.

Her father dropped the bat and helped his daughter to the floor to steady her.  "Sweetheart, what are you doing?  What's the matter?"  He positioned his caring hands on her shoulders.

"I can't sleep so I figured I'd get myself a cup of water and watch some T.V. for a lil' bit."  

"Well, all right.  If you need me just holler, okay?  Good night."  With that, he scruffed up the baseball bat and casually ascended the staircase.

She was ready to say something sticking her finger in the air with a deep breath, "…nah.  Too easy," smiling at herself.

**/\**

A peaceful night arised upon Adriatic City—until a certain telephone rings.  This startled Joey and rolled onto the floor in a plop all tangled in part of the comforter.

"Hahmm?"  Joey answers from Serenity's portable phone.  He tried to knock the sleepiness out of him to sound normal while speaking.

"Joey?  Téa."

His eyes perked up and a small blushing color danced upon his cheeks, "TÉA?  Who—why—what's wrong, anything wrong?!"  Joey realized he chattered a tad too loud and Serenity stirred yanking over the covers, causing her brother to spin out rapidly.

Téa escaped a giggle as she filled up her glass of water; hey, she wasn't lying too much to her father.

"Oh Joey, you're adorable!"  The faucet lightly splashed her fingers and snapped her out of what she had just said.  She sent her cup flying backwards over her head and shattered onto the floor.  "Son of a biscuit!"

"Ah…run that by me again, cutes?"  Joey scratched the back of his neck.  "AW SNAP!"  Yet again, another unconscious mistake.

"Joey, just stop!  Who are we kidding?  The longer we do this, the worse things are going to get against us."  _Wonderful, beautiful.  Dad didn't wake up…_Téa pondered.  

"Look, Téa, I've been thinking—" He felt someone, or something stabbing their eyes into his back.  The chills raced up and down his spine causing him to spasm for a mere few seconds.

"Joey!" It was Serenity, not acting very serene.  "Phone?!  Why!"  She thrusted her hand forward while in the other adjusting her eyeglasses.

"Just a minute, please!  I'll hang up in a jiff…just hold your horses, Ser'."  Serenity sighed and sat on her bed quietly watching him.

"Téa?  Tomorrow, meet me, and the gang at Domino City Hospital.  Serenity's scheduled for twelve-thirty p.m. surgery; she should be in recovery around one-thirty.  It'll be visiting hours by then.  WE will talk…" After he had explained her surgery, she felt awkward and fumbled with her feet glancing down toward her magenta carpeted floor.

"All right…I'll see you there then…sweet dreams."  Téa bid her goodbye and clicked the phone off.  Joey lingered for a minute and then slowly pressed the power button to hang up as well.

"Kids!  Everything okay?  I hear too many voices!  I hope I'm not going schizo!"  The siblings's mother knocked intentively at Serenity's bedroom door.  "May I come in?"

Joey and Serenity shot each other brief eye expressions and assured her it was okay to walk in.

"Joseph, you haven't changed one bit; staying up late with your sister camping out under the sheets in bed." she chuckled.  

He gazed intently to his mother.  He basically thought of her as a stranger because of no contact whatsoever between them.  Arisa Saito, formerly known as Arisa Wheeler, was in a word, stunning.  Her golden waves of honey-tinted hair flowed just beneath her shoulders.  Many of her co-workers and friends would entitle her Angel Eyes because of her mysterious mixed eye tinting; teal blue and a touch of green created such a color as a tropical sea.  She was a good woman, she really was.

"Well, we wanted to have a late night chat.  I was a little apprehensive about surgery so Joey always cheers me up—if that's what you heard—us talking a bit loud…" Joey wiped his brow.  He was saved, but felt bad that his sister had to lie, just like him.

"Oh, ahuh.  There was someone else who magically appeared in this room then and automatically left when I came in?"  Arisa questioned skeptically.

"What?"  The teenage boy's heart raced.

"'Téa, see ya later, cutes!' Don't think I don't know those lines!"  The mother smirked; bingo!  It all was obvious now where Joey got his smiles.  "Does my sweet, little baby boy have a girlfriend?"  He went red in the face and held his breath.  Arisa hurried over to give him a peck on the forehead.  

"MA!  It's nearly one in the morning!  Women can wait!  I need some shut-eye and especially does Serenity!"

"Exactly!  Why did you have that girl call you at this time of the morning, huh?"

"I DIDN'T.  _She_ called _me_ on her own.  No strings attached, honest to gods!"

"Mom!  Would you stop grilling Joey!  Jeez, give my brother peace!  Oh, and to answer your question, Téa's a FRIEND of Joey's; she's a nice person so give him a break, he doesn't like her any other way so you can calm your nerves…"

_Friend?  Oh this is making me feel fine and dandy._  Joey projected his sarcasm through his head while it echoed back and forth.  This was not a situation to leave bouncing off your brain.  

"Oh," she twirled a piece of her hair; this usually happens when she feels ill at ease, "well, damn it Joey I haven't seen your face for so long.  The only keepsake I have is a picture of the both of you when you were six and Serrie five.  I keep thinking you need to be protected because that was the only vision I had left of you.  I'm sorry for asking you all those questions, please don't hold it against me."  As much as she meant it, she showed no emotion, "I'll let you two get your rest, sleep tight."  She nodded to her children and closed the door behind her.

"It's okay, Ma…"

"Joey," Serenity knelt before her older brother, "don't worry about it.  Mom tends to get sensitive on this subject.  She'll be back to normal in the morning, trust me.  I think we'll all be normal in the morning once we get some sleep, actually," she added while flashing a sweet smile as he did the same as they drifted into slumber.

**/\**

"All right, Serenity," the nurse said as she prepped the patient, "count backwards from one hundred as we put the mask on you, okay dear?"  Soothingly she tapped Serenity's right hand and attached the anesthetic mask, covering her nose and mouth completely. 

"Relax, sweetie.  Now begin counting, and when you wake up you'll be wanting to see the whole world." Her doctor had assured her as he applied his rubber gloves.

**/\**

"All right where is this section?"  Tristan asked, examining the hospital map layout in the main lobby, "We better make it fast because this hospital's smell is already making me nauseous…"

"Well let's see, Tristan.  Serenity's having an eye operation and they have an Eye and Ear Rehabilitation, could it possibly be in OH I DUNNO, MATERNITY WARD?"  Yugi barked towards Tristan.

"Yugi, YOU'VE BEEN PUSHING IT WAY TOO FAR, INCLUDING YOUR RANTS ON THE WAY OVER HERE, MAN!"  

"MAYBE, just MAYBE if you didn't ask such stupid questions you wouldn't rattle my NERVES!"  

"OKAY, so I don't visit hospitals much, SO SUE ME.  Do _you _visit the hospital every chance you get, Doogie Howser!"

"SHUT UP, Tristan.  Stop screwing around with Yugi because I don't want you to spin out of control and hurt him," she then continued in a whisper that Yugi overheard, "he's a little guy, you know, just remember that."

Yugi proceeded to appear angry, and neither did he speak too much after the tongue-lashing while Téa lead the way into recovery for Eye and Ear patients.

**/\**

At the door to Serenity's assigned room, Joey stood outside greeting friends and some family members.

//Yugi, before you walk in there I think there's something you should know, child…//

/Okay.  Care to tell me?/

//Well--//

"Hey Yug'!  Glad ya came!"  Joey beamed while shaking Yugi's hand.

/Tell me.  It's not like I'm talking to myself, _per se_./

//Too late…//

/Jerk. ¬__¬/

"Sup Tristan!  Thanks for coming."  The two boys greeted each other accordingly as Yugi and Tristan walked in the room together.  Then there was only one left—Téa.

Joey furtively deepened his breaths as he forced his hand outward for the girl, "Téa, Serenity'll be thrilled to see you,"

He cast a foolish grin across his teeth.

"Yeah, same here.  So how are you this afternoon?"  Awkward intensity surrounded them in a bubble.

"…Pretty good, a little tired, though.  And you?"

"Oh, great.  Fine, fine."  A few moments after odd silence in the hospital corridor, she cleared her throat and looked up at Joey gazing down at her.  "You look nice today," stated Téa, breaking the eerie stillness.

Those frosted, aquamarine eyes of hers penetrated him once more, "Téa, don't do this to me!"  He lead her to the opposite side of the hall so their conversation was barely audible to the people in his sister's room.

"Do what?!"  The eyes glowed through him.

Joey activated his whiny tone. "You drive me nuts," he sighed backing her against the tiled wall, "to tell you the truth, I loved everything about that kiss, I loved everything about your body, I loved everything about your personality, and now… I love you."  He finished with a flushed face and swallowing a timid lump down his sudden parched throat.  

Téa wasn't the only one swallowing!  She swallowed back tears and sniveled, "And I love you."  The newborn couple giggled their way into relaxing kisses.  

"Where in the heck are Joey and Téa?"  Tristan piped up his query from Serenity's bedside.

"Hmm, Téa.  I've been hankering to see this young woman; I would check, but I'm not about to leave my daughter here unattended yet, granted she's still sleeping."  Arisa answered.

"Eh, he might've gone down to the vending machine.  I'll check for you, Miss Saito."

"Thank you, Tristan.  I'll tell Yugi where you went we he comes out of the restroom."  Serenity's mother warmly smiled as the teenager stood up from the chair.  

Well, Tristan never made it past the doorway, "WHOA BABY!"  He shrieked, instantly covering his mouth right after.

**/\**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Ta da!!  I finished this chapter after four long grueling days!  Tell me how you like it in a nice, box of words, a.k.a review!  Remember, I'll always be keeping my fire extinguisher handy…^_^


	4. Making a Slapstick Comedy Show Out of a ...

******Passion Days******

**CHAPTER 4: Making a Slapstick Comedy Show Out of a Hospital**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **You guys must be sick of these author's notes. ^_^; I bet no one even reads 'em.  Ah hell, I don't care!  Anyway, you guys want to see Yugi's reaction?  Hmm, let's see, I'll give it to you…maybe in another chapter!!!   HA…HA…ha, you'll see ^_~.  On with the chapter!

THIS CHAPTER DOES GET A BIT CRUDE!  The first paragraph of this chapter has a suggestive line, and as you read on there will be indirect, raunchy bits and pieces of this kind of dialogue.  Beware but enjoy!

**/\**

"Tristan, qué pasa?  Do you see those two coming?"  Arisa raised her torso lightly to observe the hallway.

"Um, how do you prefer to spell that?"  He twisted his head to the side blinking at her with a wide smile and a bit of an embarrassing shade of color to his cheeks.

"Well, it'd be C-O-M…what the heck are you trying to say?!"  The concerned woman jumped out of her seat, causing trembling to Serenity's makeshift bed briefly.

Instantly, Joey and Téa arrived in front of their friend and also now Arisa Saito.  It is safe to say, Joey has an authentic look to kill.  His first attempt was towards Tristan.  

Téa pleasantly spread a smile to everyone; little did she know what was going on at the moment.  Miss Saito scrutinized the young girl up and down.

Téa gritted through her teeth to Joey innocently, "Uh…what she doing?"  He looked down to his girlfriend with the same grin as hers.

"Don't worry, she's okay…I'll handle it," he gritted back and continued while shouting, "MOM!"  

Arisa snapped her neck upward. "What sweetie?"

The commotion caused Serenity to awaken; she fluttered her radiant eyes and slid slowly up against her flattened pillow, staring at the foursome blocking the doorway.  Her perfect, sharp vision entered her into a warming strength and a true feeling of happiness once and for all.  

Yugi didn't bother looking up to see where anyone was; his main interest was focused on how Serenity held up.  Her hair bounced around and she beamed at Yugi gleefully.

"Well, hey Serenity!  Do you like your new eyesight?"  Yugi queried, leaning in so she could have a proper view.

"Like it?  I LOVE it!  It's so amazing!  I can't believe how many years I've been living in a blur!  Oh, I just feel awesome!"  She said, almost projecting her voice into a scream.  He had a feeling that smile was never going to be swept off of her face.

"You must love your brother uncontrollably right now," Yugi applied a smile, "speaking of which, where is Joey, anyway?  And everyone else?"

"Oh, they're at the other end of the room—at the door.  I didn't want to interrupt them."  Serenity pointed for him; even for Yugi he couldn't catch sight of what they were doing.

"I think we should!  This is a big occasion," he whipped his head to the group, "GUYS!  Come here, Serenity's up!"

Of course the first to run over would be her mother, in tears of joy, "My little girl!  I'm so happy…" Arisa invited her daughter into her arms along with many kisses.

Meanwhile, Tristan nudged Joey quietly and still he didn't respond.  This was expected to him anyway, he was ecstatic for his sister's health.  Though, he was unaware that he and Téa were locking hands.   At this point, Tristan grew more frantic and nudged Joey's arm much harder than the last.  No reaction.  

_The hell with 'actions speak louder than words!'_  He grabbed Joey's wrist and grit, "Exnay on the handay."

His friend shot him a disturbed expression, "Triss, the boys in the white jackets will be coming very soon for you…" Joey turned to his girlfriend and crooked down to give her a peck on the cheek.  

"NO!"  Tristan booted him in shinbone.  "BAD!  VERY BAD!"  He escalated his tone across the room—if only looks could kill—dead man walking.

"What in the world possessed you?  A rabid monkey?"  Téa questioned.

"Joey, we need to talk!"  This time, Tristan being more serious, grabbing Joey's shoulders while crouching.

"Oh no, not that.  That usually means it's the end." Joey sandwiched his cheeks between his two palms and gasped, "Tristan, are you breaking up with me?"  The blonde eased his way into a chortle.

"Shut up and listen to me…wait.  There are too many witnesses, go in the hall."  Tristan stated, striking Joey on the back.  "Fly away!"  He took his friend by the jean waist and tossed his carcass straight into a wheelchair parallel from where they stood.  

Téa didn't know what to do but gawk in astonishment.  The towering, metal door instantaneously slammed with a big rumble in front of her face; this triggered her nose to crinkle along with her shoulders to jet forward.  The discomfited silence.  Several eyes crept their peculiar wits through her spine.  A snail's pace was Téa's skillful movement at the moment with all eyes on her.  Ever so gracefully she twirled on the balls of her feet raising her eyebrows as she gazed back to Arisa Saito, Serenity and Yugi.  Yugi as well hoisted his eyebrows, not conscious that he was mimicking his close friend.

"Eh heh…" she babbled.

"Are they feeling all right?  Good place to be if you need psychological help, in fact."  Yugi declared his statement for Téa.

"Uh, yeah.  They had to sort out something, I don't know what…" Serenity didn't lower the watts of her smile.

"Téa, is it?  Well, don't just stand there, come have a seat."  Arisa waved her hand.  Her eyes now faded to a teal blue.

"All right, thank you."  She flattened her skirt as she sat down and crossed her legs prudently.

"So when was your last period?"  Serenity's mother innocently asked directing the conversation to Téa.  Yugi turned completely flushed and pale and sharply uplifted off of his seat.

"MOTHER!  Why are you concerned about her cycle, huh?!  I'm sorry, Téa, really, I am!"  The smile was put to an end.  "Yugi, seriously, she isn't crazy I promise.  You can stay—"

"No…just…no!"  He proceeded his way to the door twisting the handle and hurled himself in the passage where Tristan and Joey once were, but are no longer there.

**/\**

Outside in the parking lot of Domino City Hospital, Joey and Tristan were about ready to bring out one another's eyes through their nostrils.

"First of all, don't be all lovey-dovey, mushy-gushy, fuzzy-wuzzy in front of Yugi with Téa, ya hear me?"

"WHY NOT?"  Joey barked back, prepping his fists.  "He knows teenage love for pete's sake!  He's used to seein' it in front of the lockers, the bathrooms, the rooms, the janitor closets—"

"Oh really?  Not when he's had a crush on Téa for the past FOUR YEARS!"

"He never liked Téa!"

"Oh yes he did, pal!  AND still does!"

"Well then why the fuck didn't he tell me, moron?"

"He's shy, for cry eye!  And listen in; don't get worked up over something stupid, Joe…act like you don't even know I said a damn word!  Hear me out on this one."

"Asshole, you lie!  Jealous bastard."  Joey scorned, his face burning hot; sweat prickled through the back oh his slender neck.

"I'm no way jealous of a farm girl like her!"  _Crap, did I just say 'farm girl?'  Oh no…_Tristan inwardly scolded himself.

"Excuse me, shithead!  The fuck did you just say?"  He casually scuffed up to Tristan's body and rammed his palms into his chest; Tristan in reaction stumbled backwards a couple of steps.

"Look Joey, I didn't mean to say that, really, I could never say that about Téa…seriously, anyway.  You just pissed me off for a second that's all…"

"Yeah, that's right, save your sorry ass while you can, ballbuster.  I'm asking Yugi myself."  Swiftly Joey speedwalked back to the automatic doors where Yugi just appeared to be walking out of.

"He's in deep shit now," Tristan observed him as he sped through, "man, why are you doing this to yourself!"

"Yugi!  I need to ask you something really important."

"All right, but it depends on what kind of importance it is; is it an important favor, a question—"

Joey sighed, "It's a question, do you have to get technical?"

"If you're going to talk like that—"

"CAN I get the question through?"

"I don't know, can you?"  Yugi innocently asked with a quick wink.

"MAY I get the question through?  So my grammar sucks, for chrissake!"

"C'mon!  You wanted to ask me, now ask me!"

"You're a piece of work, you know?"

"That was the question?!"  

"NO!  Just sit down…sit down!"  Said a frustrated Joey as he supported his hand on Yugi's shoulderblade while the both of them took a seat on a bench.

"Okay, here goes," he delicately locked his eyes meeting both sets of lashes and licked his lips, "do you like Téa?"  

"What?"

"Didn't you listen to me?"

"The ambulence just drove by; how could I have payed attention unless I had ESP?"

"Grrr…should've known, only when I try to do somethin' bold," he mumbled to himself, "do you like Téa?"

"Yes, she happens to be a close friend of mine, thank you very much."  Yugi put a touch of an abrupt deportment to his statement.  "That was important, wasn't it?"  He escaped a small giggle.

"I meant do you like her more than a friend?"

"I thought that was the only question," Yugi assumed, returning back to his serious facade.

"You didn't understand what I asked, so I'm clarifying it for you…"

"I'll clarify this for you," he tilted in to Joey's face, "_mind your own business_."

Well this took him by surprise, "Why was it that you told Tristan and not me, my oh-so-trusty best friend Yugi?"

The undersized teen arose from the wooden bench, ignoring the query from Joey, only gaping at him; Yugi had obeyed his limitation on answering questions and sauntered through the automatic doors.

**/\**

"You know, Triss, I think he takes me for granted sometimes," Joey paused, sipping the icy fruit drink from the hospital's cafeteria.  "It just gets me that he told you and not me.  He claims I'm his best friend but his personal life he keeps locked up with no key to get inside!  I say it's that gawdy 'Millenium Puzzle' thing he wears around his neck twenty-four-seven.  Yugi just hasn't been himself lately."  Joey gulped another swig of the condensated bottle.

"Oh, leave him be.  Maybe he's going through the motions; and if you don't mind me saying—theoretically, he's probably envious of you." 

"Envious?  He's got the brains, not moi!"

"Well, he could be jealous for instance that you're tall, you're strong, and what the hey, you've got good looks.  Joey, he's fortunate to have a friend like you, he's even admitted it!"  His blonde friend only shrugged and articulately smoothed down the water that was dripping down from the warmth and cold blending as one.  Suddenly, he inhaled a fragrant aroma.  Rumpling up his nose, he scanned the cafeteria swaying his brown orbs back and forth, "Joe, what's the matter?"

"Do you smell that?"  Joey took another sniff of the fragrance.

Tristan as well took a brief lungful, "No, I don't smell a thing but the reeking stench of hospital food; is that what you're smellin'?"

"It's not the food."

"Then what I am I supposed to be smelling?  You look like someone committed a murder in front your eyes, relax your face, sheesh."

A struggling groaning sound of a female passed by them as the boys simultaneously flicked their heads to the source of the noise.

"Miho!  I thought I was smelling your perfume…" Joey commenced, "but, uh, why the get-up?  'Doesn't seem like you're the type to clean up after people."

"I'm a Candy Striper, baka, it pays good money so I can go blow it at the mall."  She puffed back a piece of her periwinkle colored hair with a concise breath upward.

"Oh, right.  Sweet."  The blonde boy had winked adding a cutesy grin.

"Har, har.  Funny pun.  I don't see you guys getting off your grand asses to get a job…" Miho couldn't resist smirking as she turned her nose up in the air.  "And just so you know, it's pretty rude to leave Serenity in recovery after she's comforting herself from surgery.  She thinks you're abandoning her 'again.'  Everyone appeared to be mad, too.  They're trying to cheer her up, but I said it's probably just the leftover laughing gas—" Joey screeched his sneakers as he careened around the corner.  Miho glimpsed down at Tristan who was attempting to give her that suave-model appearance; she frowned and heeded Joey just before he zoomed through the cafeteria entrance, "Yo Joey!  You left your big wad of rubbage in the booth!"  She glanced back at Tristan seeing as how she had a few misgivings while she awkwardly smiled toward him as she heaved her cart along with trays of food for patients.

"I knew she loved me…hell yeah, I'm good!"

**/\**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, I'm just dishing these chapters out like hotcakes, ne?  To tell you the truth, I have no super-splendid idea of how Miho acts; all I know about her is that she's perky enough to make you hurl.  I mentioned that in the first chapter but I had no clue how to make her react as a Candy Striper for a summer job, but I made her stuck-up so maybe that's how she is?? O_o; DON'T POLITICALLY INCORRECT ME!!!  I don't neeeeed it!  One thing I know is true is that Tristan has one mother huge crush on her.  ALL RIGHT, see you all in the next chapter! ^_^


	5. ReminisceA Day At the Beach

**Passion Days**

CHAPTER 5: Do You Remember When…(A Day at the Beach) 

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Okay, well even as I thought, on my last chapter I slacked off.  Hmm, I recall saying no flames but yet, I seem to have got SOME INDIRECT ONES…¬_¬ It's been tiring, and school's almost over for me, so bare with me here.  I'll make this one MORE SPECTACULAR and CLEAR for some people whose names/pennames shall remain private.  Well, that was scary ^^; I get like that sometimes, don't mind me.  Enjoy the reminiscing chapter.

**Song used (bits and pieces): **"**Alive**," by **Jennifer Lopez** (J to the L-O! ^_~)

**-+-**

"Yugi!!!"  A youthful girl deeply voiced, and then screeched high-pitched on the last syllable of the name.

_"Here I am!  I thought _I_ lost _you_!"  He revealed a relieving sigh while speaking to his friend, also wiping a few tears coyly._

_"We have to get back soon, look at the clouds!"  She pointed above to the sky with a circular motion of her finger, warning him of the small rainbelt heading towards them, "C'mon, take my hand and let's BOLT!"  The tiny boy nodded to the girl's order._

_The downpour came crashing down drenching everything in Domino City.  Most people hurried inside their houses and cars, but not for the two friends.  They were practically on the opposite side of the metropolis in a thunderstorm.  The boy and girl thrust themselves under a large canopy tree in the now deserted park.  The children breathed heavily; their clothes were saturated a great deal, as well as their faces and skin._

_"Oh no," a brave roll of thunder and a crackle of lightning penetrated the dark clouds, "Yugi, are you all right?"_

_Yugi bobbed his head slightly and his eyes began to close sluggishly and slumped up against the thick tree trunk._

_"YUGI!"  She shook him by the arm, "This isn't a great time to fall asleep now!  Wake up!"  The primary schoolboy didn't respond.  The girl grabbed him with ease and cuddled with him, carressing his upper back.  "Yugi, listen to me, if you don't wake up, I mean never, ever, wake up again, you'll be missing out on so much stuff.  We'll share a sincere friendship, we'll go on to junior high and even high school, find new friends, and fall in love…" Her ending phrase triggered a blush against her cheeks.  _

_Yugi heard her clearly; he listened to the beating rhythm of her heart.  It was then he knew she was true to him.  He indirectly showed her he was alive by holding her a bit tighter.  She smiled._

"Téa!  Come take a swim with me, it's getting hotter than hell's flame," she snapped out of her sound sleep behind her shady sunglasses as her boyfriend whispered a warm breath into her ear, "and it's another damn story with the heat coming off of you."

She gasped, propping herself up on her elbows and scanned the beach shoreline for Yugi, while Tristan folded his arms and rolled his eyes down at Joey sprawled on the blanket.  Téa rubbed her eyes roughly.  "Unh, where is Yugi and Serenity?"

"Yugi said he wasn't feeling so hot and that he was going to take a quick stroll around the boardwalk.  As for Serenity, it looks like she found her boy toy."  Tristan chuckled peeking beyond where he stood, to Serenity near the shoreline where she was laughing with some boy as he lifted her up by the waist to hit the volleyball over the net.

"Who is that fag?"  Joey asked bluntly, but with a foul tone of voice.

"Joe!  He looks harmless, but I'll keep an eye on him if he gets…frisky, okay?  You guys go in for a dip and I'll watch for Yugi, all right?"  Tristan said, giving them both a prompt nod.  Joey agreed as he positioned his hand for Téa's support getting up off of the sandy beach blanket.  They headed for a nice section of the ocean to dunk in.

Tristan plunked into one of the lounge chairs under the umbrella.  Panging rays of the sun reflected back into the atmosphere.  As did the sun reflect off of the golden Millenium Puzzle.

**-+-**

Yugi straightened his spine against the searing stonewall alongside the boardwalk as people hurried by on rollerblades, shuffling across the sandy footpath wearing their sandals and flipflops with friends.  Being friendly.  Being friendly?  Yugi didn't want to know the definition of friendly at this point in time.  He had no friends with him.  Case closed.  It came to his mind if his "friends" cared.  No one bent over backwards to run up and see how he was feeling.

/Yami?/

//Hmm?//

/Is that really how it went?  Speaking of the Joey and Téa scenario…/

//Yes, Yugi.  I know every time you ask me you're expecting the one and only answer you'd like to hear, but I'm sorry.  It just doesn't work that way.//

_What it is is that it isn't fair!_  Yugi echoed his thoughts through his head; _Joey always had girls falling into his lap since junior high; now, right out of the blue, he chooses Téa.  Though, I can't blame him.  Too many reasons.  _He blinked out the sun and reopened his lashes again. _Téa should be the one to blame!  She promised me a sincere friendship and she never once took the time to tell me she got paired off with him.  Oh sure, and what else do they do?  They sing "Short People" that retarded Randy Newman song to me.  FUNNY!  Yeah…real sincere.  _A stressful, uneven sigh flowed out of his lips.  His curiosity of where they were had got the best of him.  Suddenly, Yugi heard some familiar voices traveling across the sand dunes, nearing to the infinite length of the bordering stonewall; he sharply took in a harsh breath and remained silent.

"And you said how long ago did he go for a walk?"  Téa inquired shadily to Tristan placing her palms to her hips.

He replied by glancing down at the radio he was carrying, "Roughly an hour and a half.  Yugi wouldn't have gone too far; everybody knows how he is about getting lost."

Something clicked in Téa's brain and hastily sprung her arms out straight from her sides.  "We have to find him.  I can read him like an open book and there's no way he would take such a long walk unless he hated the company he was in.  This is the weird part, he doesn't hate us…" she stuttered a bit struggling for more words, "Erm…why would he, how could he—"

Joey wrapped his arms around her shoulders, standing in back of her, "He'll find us.  He usually does so don't get worked up over the whole thing.  I'm sure Yug's fine; he probably found a spot along the beach somewhere to space out.  Think about it, where else would he go?"

"Exactly, Joey," Serenity chimed in, "it is mainly all barren land.  There are no shops around to browse through at Adriatic Beach and Boardwalk."

"Yeah, but I think you guys forgot just one thing.  He said he didn't feel too well," Tristan corrected, "what if he's upchucking—"

"TRISS, 'nuff said, dude." Joey winced.

Téa rudely rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Wait here.  I'll be back in a few minutes."  She traipsed diagonally, onward to where she would meet a portion of the stonewall.

Her boyfriend groaned in dismay and trod over to her, "Well, if you're going to look, them I'm going with you. Yugi is one of my best friends, too, you know; and for the plus point, the sun's going down and it's not the safest of areas when you got a bikini on taking a stroll down the street.  Here," Joey sheltered his baggy sweatshirt over most of Téa's back and arm region.

This brought a soft smile among her lips.  Though, soon a serious face came into play; "Joey, there's something I have to tell you.  Yugi has been the closest friend I ever had.  He's one of the _very_ few individuals who have learned not judge people by their appearance and so on.  Furthermore, Yugi is honest to a fault when it comes to me and about five years back, we made a promise we would be sincere.  I-I just can't keep going on without letting him in on it.  It makes me feel so scummy."

"Take it from me, I feel the scum!  Tristan egged me on about how much of a secret this was.  I had told him Yugi would understand but—" Joey strained his muscles, thinking about what he was going to imply next.

"But what?  Understand what, exactly?"

"It's nothing, really!"  He stretched his arms behind his head.  "Just forget it, please."

"Joey…"

Joey tried to stress his words but failed and revealed all, "Téa, he loves you," he rubbed his forehead and continued, "Tristan also said that Yugi had a crush on you for four years now."  Joey paused, not knowing whether to say anything, or stay quiet.

"DAMN IT, JOEY!  I do know, OKAY?  I was just too terrified to express any mix of words about the subject to his face!  Now look where this shit ended up!  I've been hearing left and right, up and down, and off of my ass that he was head-over-heels for me!  To put the final cherry on all the whipped cream, I GET a boyfriend and he'll be _fucking _pissed at me when he finds out and I don't want to _GO THROUGH THIS!_"

"You swore…" His eyes widened as much as they could possibly go from the type of language she spat; he was even more frightened that she'd be using that type of language he uses frequently, too.

"YEAH!  As a matter of fact I did!  Let me tell you something, hon', it feels mighty _fucking_ SWELL!"  Joey kissed the tip of her nose as she collapsed immediately into his inviting arms; doing so, she sobbed.

"So you're saying he told a lot of people at school?!"

"I guess," Téa's tears began to recede, "but he's not the type of person to do that…didn't you know ahead of time about this?"

"No.  I had found out from Tristan when Ser' was in the hospital.  Yugi would tell me everything under the sun, but he sort of drifted away when you and I started hanging out a lot more.  Maybe he's onto us."  Joey shrugged, and tipped his neck back to peer at the cloudy, dusk-shaded sky.

"YOU GUYS!  GET YOUR ASSES OFF OF THE BEACH!"  Tristan howled to Joey and Téa, as Serenity stood nearby the tall, tanned boy near the curb of the street, sheilding her eyes from any sand particles being swept up by the gales.  Tristan passed Serenity a towel for her face without much ease, while switching on the radio, twisting the dial trying to get at least a weather report, but left it at a song.  Maybe it would end and go to an announcement soon, lacking static.

On the other dimension of the wall, Yugi was seething; but somehow, he experienced a small twinge of compassion for Téa.  He hadn't been aware of what he made her go through for half of a decade.  Yugi had to think fast, and the sunset wasn't forming such a wavy, peach-stricken hue, it had transformed into an impending, overcast firmament.  

_Oh you gotta be kidding me!_ He whimpered, _storm?!  Well…good.  I don't need Téa's help for prunes… um, might as well take off then._  Yugi gathered up his belongings (or what he had brought with him), peeping his head in through the t-shirt's main hole.  He continued to the sound of the music onward for any sight of transportation to get back home when driving rain beat upon his tiny body thinking of his friends; his eyes watering with sorrow—which was Téa's excess guilt, that had spread contagiously to Yugi's disadvantage.
    
    _"Time goes slowly now in my life_
    
    _Fear no more of what I'm not sure_
    
    _Searching to feel your soul_
    
    _The strength to stand alone_
    
    _The power of not knowing and letting go_
    
    _I guess I've found my way_
    
    _It's simple when it's right_
    
    _Feelin' lucky just to be here tonight_
    
    _And happy just to be me and be alive…"_

A physically powerful gust of wind zipped along the now-desolate beach.  The waves arched and curved, trampling all of the seashore and the beach beyond.  

"Téa, he's right; it's getting vicious out here.  Yugi's familiar to where my sister's house is, so I'm sure he'll find his way back."  Rain gallantly poured down on the city.  Joey climbed to his feet still grasping onto his girlfriend securely.

"No!  Tristan is _not _right!  I'll feel more comfortable if Yugi's here with us!"  The cracks and rolls of lightning and thunder danced in the rhythm of the rainstorm.  "Joey, don't you want to find him?  I just—I know he's scared…I don't want him to be…" her voice trailed off as Joey speedily carried Téa over to the boardwalk with Serenity and Tristan occupying it.

"_You _are the one who's scared, sweetie.  This storm is gonna pass over and come hell or high water—well, we got the high water part down," he eyed the humungous waves crashing down on the spot they previously were, "we're searching for Yugi."  Joey kissed Téa's lips for a brief second and dove onto the boardwalk.  "I love you," he said as he placed her back on her feet.
    
    _"__Love, in and out_
    
    _A mile in my heart_
    
    _And though life can be strange_
    
    _I can't be afraid…"_

Téa intently stared at him for a few moments and bowed her head. She examined her hands, wringing them, absorbed in her routine.  She then gazed up to his eyes once again, they seemed black, but the tint of russet was yet there.  Téa did not say a word back to him, only flashing a weak lip smile; with that, the girl turned away.

"Shit!  Torrential rain doesn't come with life boats, huh!"  Tristan shouted.  "How the hell are we gonna get home!"  The waves pounded against the bordering stonewall.

"Nobody brought a phone?  _Wonderful._"  Serenity exclaimed sarcastically.

Suddenly, a Jeep pulled up to the curb in front of all four as the puddle gushed on them, aggravating the friends to the limit and the window reeled in quickly, "Hey, I think you losers lost a winner!  Did you find him?"  The woman's voice was coolly declared, and her purple eyes glimmered to the raindrops and then she winked.

"Mai?!  What are you talking about, woman?"  Joey astoundingly inquired.

"All right, maybe this'll be easier on your brain function," the electric window rolled down, "does _he _look familiar?"

Yugi's face appeared, glaring at them outside of the rear window, "Téa, should I make myself some signs and flags plastering all over it: 'I survived a storm—without Téa Gardner!'"

**--**++**--**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** YEAH, I bet you didn't expect that mental ending! ^_^;;  Anyway, I just wanted to show a relationship between Téa and Yugi since there's a million friendships/relationships I gotta pin down in this fic.  Hope you come back for my next chapter ^_~ (It wasn't so much of a cliffhanger this time, was it!)

**P.S.!  **OKAY, so Mai _possibly_ wouldn't pick up Yugi—it's ONLY FICTION, PEEPS! ^___^ 

  


	6. Sakura no Yuugure :: Evening's Cherry Bl...

**Passion Days**

**CHAPTER 6: Sakura no Yuugure {Evening's Cherry Blossoms}**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** (I hope I phrased the chapter title right ^^;) It seems like I didn't make a chapter for months.  

Well, a month maybe but…yeah, I'll be writing one now, how 'bout that!  I don't have too much to say for this one.  Just read, laugh, cry (whatever emotion your face comes with), and then when the painful ending Author's note comes at the bottom of the chapter, you can review!!!  

Thank you to the respected, faithful reviewers that return every chapter; it means a lot to me.  Domo arigato! 

This chapter might not make any sense, but I hope it takes to your liking.   Whatever floats your boat, I guess! ^^;

**P.S.!** – I'm using some Japanese phrases more into the chapters so you get the feel of Japan since it does take place in Japan! ^_^ I'll translate it all for you at the end of the chapter.  Dontcha hate when people don't translate stuff for ya? 

**KEY:**

*** {asterisk} = **Englishtranslation at the end of the chapter.

  ***---***

Previously from Chapter 5:

_"All right, maybe this'll be easier on your brain function," the electric window rolled down, "does _he_ look familiar?"_

_Yugi's face appeared, glaring at them outside of the rear window, "Téa, should I make myself some signs and flags plastering all over it: 'I survived a storm—without Téa Gardner!'"_

Continuation after the incident:

Téa's face morphed into a fierce expression of awe and perplexity.  The strands of thick, waterlogged, auburn tresses slickly clung to her cheeks.  A sudden sense of anger swept upon the teenage girl, trying her best to keep it hidden in her chest.  "Excuse me?"  Téa raised her voice from the storm's intensity of noise.  Her voice expressed itself as a firm sound of irritation, though she didn't mean for it to mislead the tone she wanted.

"Yugi, I'm not getting involved." Mai established casually. "If you're going to argue with the crew, then get out!  Otherwise, I'll just give you a ride home.  But, think of it as a random act of kindness, because there's no way I'm letting you get used to me taxiing you around."  She continued to glower out of the windshield without laying an eye on the small boy.

Yugi stared at Mai for a minute and then quickly whipped his head to see Téa folding her arms prudently.  Serenity had been dabbing her eyes with the beach towel.  It was becoming hard to distinguish whether or not she was crying; perhaps it was just the rain and its concealing façade.  You can never tell anymore about people's sentiments and why they're feeling what they're feeling.  Finally, she had given up on the soaking towels.  It served no purpose at this point.  Serenity covered her face with it and buried her head into her brother's arms, hugging him tightly as he returned the emotion.

Joey peered over his sister's skull to Yugi, watching him with a death glare.  He never saw Mister Personality himself grow to appear so serious.

"I'll take that voucher for the ride home, Mai; only if you offer to drop off Joey, his sister, and Tristan back to my house, too."

Mai silenced as if deepening into a thought.  She then responded, "Aren't you forgetting—" She was cut off.

"Are you going to do it or not?"  Yugi ordered a bit sternly.

Mai was very taken aback by this demand, and Yugi's attitude, for that matter.  Heck, he was starting to sound like her.  Whatever was his beef, she didn't like it.  Her shapely, violet pupils widened and at last spat her final decision.  "Fine.  Get the dry towels in back of you and lay them on the seats."

Of course, Joey being Téa's boyfriend was extremely reluctant to take a ride without her being invited.  He advised Serenity to climb in and went by her brother's word into the front seat.  Joey grabbed both of Téa's arms stringently and leaned down to kiss the portion of her cheek beneath her bottom row of lengthy lashes.  "Whatever is his goddamn problem, I promise I will find out…and kill him if it's somethin' stupid.  I'll walk you home."

"GO.  Just go.  Your sister needs you.  I know this city like the back of my hand.  I'll be just fine.  Just go."  Téa grew to be lackadaisical.  

"NO."

"Fucking hell, Joseph, just get in the car."

"Not if you tell me you're going to call me right when you get home—I'll tell Yugi that you'll be calling the Game Shoppe and I'll pick up so you don't have to piss each other off.  Do you hear me?  RIGHT when you step on the damned rug you're slamming your hand onto the phone.  If your Dad's using the phone, push him with all your feminine strength until he's on the floor.  Or else.  Got it?!"

Téa affirmed with a slight nod.  "Now go."

Soon after they exchanged words, the Jeep sped off with a brief splash of muddy water.  Téa found the willow tree she and Yugi had taken sanctuary under ten years earlier.  She shivered placing Joey's varsity sweatshirt over her head and onto her body now, warming the skin gradually.  The lonesome Téa scrunched her face in between her legs, curling up into a ball.  Drops of water spilled down her soft, rosy cheeks.  It wasn't too hard to determine whether it was rain or tears.  It was tears; though, not hers.  Why else would they call that certain tree a weeping willow?

Later that night, a fairly large amount of words couldn't be said over the phone.  However, no one can predict the future…

***---***

Téa had remained quiet and kept to herself mainly through the rest of the week.  The weather was surprisingly sunny and comfortably warm.  Being so, she poured a glass of iced tea from the pitcher glancing out the kitchen window to the newborn sunset of the evening.  

Just as she took a swig of her drink, the telephone rang, causing her to freeze.  Cautiously Téa positioned her cup on the countertop.  From there, she tread softly to the den, and picking up the receiver slowly; then fervently to her ear.  You got to love Call I.D., "Joey?!  What happened?  I haven't heard from you in a few days.  Daijobou?*"

"Mmhmm.  Ah, listen, I sorta…kinda need to talk to you…in person."  Joey breathed into the phone broadly.

"You lie so badly.  Not one thing has been fine lately, Joey, and so if you need to discuss something face to face with me, meet me in my backyard as soon as you get a chance.  I've had enough pressure from Yugi; he can just make you feel so guilty…" Téa trailed off as her boyfriend began to chime in.

At this point, Joey projected an intense shaking sound from his vocal cords.  "Uh, sure, I'll be over in about an hour."

"What's wrong?  Please, tell me; never have I ever heard you talk like a frightened five year-old, and you seem a bit distracted, too."  Téa squinted to listen more attentively.  There was a distinct sound in the background of glass shattering and possibly clanging bottles being smashed to smithereens.  Joey gulped and proceeding himself into a lungful inhalation of air.  "Joey, talk to me."

"Listen, I'm gonna go…ja mata ne.*****"  The click expired the phone call to the monotone hum when disconnected.

-***-

A soft breeze wisped through the summer air of the quaint Japan-based city.  In a nearby window, a long piece of green cloth unraveled down the siding of the house.

"Okay, my whole backside is out…that's makin' progress…unh…" Joey grunted as he heaved his body outward, descending sloppily, to much his dismay.  Without warning, his palm slid; causing the trouble he was having of maneuvering the window to suddenly become easier.  His hidden problems swirled along his teeth and clenched his tongue to keep from yelping as he floored his back against the cherry blossom canopy that luckily pillowed his risky fall.

"Mataku no baka…*****" he whispered simultaneously cursing himself, and sputtering the rosy petals, also.  One petal fluttered onto the bandaged slash that lay on his forearm.

*--*-__|__-*--*

Seven in the evening…

Every summer season has hearty, fertile flowers.  It is the season for growth and prosperity.  However, for humans it's played by ear.

Téa fussed over the Irises reserved in her flowerbed in the backyard.  That sentiment of happiness, knowing that someone you care deeply about is to arrive at your house wisps a warm chill up your spine; an inexplicable oxymoron known to the lover's plane in this world.

A childhood song sung with her mother just before she passed away, reminded Téa of this serene night that was yet so young and so she began to croon the lyrics as she waited faithfully for Joey's advent.

_"Yuugure no sora o nagamete, hoshi ga furu no o matteiru_

_Ivu wa mada toui_

_Yuugure no sora wa hirogaru, hoshi ga dondon futtekuru_

_Sora wa yasumi mo sezuni, hikari o tsukuri-tsuzukeru_

_Kyou ichiban sutekina hoshi o todokete-ageru wa_

_Kyou ichiban sutekina watashi de ai ni iku kara_

_Totteoki no egao de watashi o mattete ne..._" She smiled and closed her eyelids for a few seconds to hum a sweet melody before proceeding.

_"Ivu wa mada toui_

_Kono machi ni mo hoshi ga oritara_

_Tenshi ni nareru kashira...?_

_Kyou ichiban sutekina uta o todoke ni iku kara_

_Kyou ichiban sutekina omoi o tsutaetai kara_

_Totteoki no egao de watashi o mattete ne..._

_Mattete ne..._

_Yuugure no sora o nagamete, hoshi ga furu no o matteiru...*****"_

Téa yanked out her silk-paper fan from beneath the traditional kneeling position she was in.  The fan was frayed around the edges, but still it got the job done of its cooling purpose.  Unique designs were adorned within the black material; cherry blossoms and celestial blue butterflies.

In the meantime, Joey was listening in on the cute ballad Téa sung a few moments earlier.  His back amidst the siding of her home, he inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly.  Gripping his forearm cautiously, Joey casually sauntered along the fresh turf.  "All right, Joe, don't worry her.  Act real cool-like," he thought.

"HEY!  HOW'S IT GOIN'?"  Joey shouted, raising his arm behind his head.  This caused Téa to jerk out of her calm state.

"Oh, so there you are.  Took you long enough.  Did you take a wrong turn and end up on the other side of the island?"  Téa balanced herself into a squat upon her palms as she made her way upright.  Her fan flapped back and forth continuously near her face to quench her sweat.

"Iie*," he replied, "I was in the audience, let's put it."  Joey smiled lightly and added a wink.  Téa retorted to his bizarre answer with a puzzled expression.

"Audience? …My recital was a month—" Almost immediately her features flushed and replaced her cheeks with an intense blush; Téa's neck spasmodically sunk in embarrassment.  She gulped, "so you heard…and gave me the 'special smile…'"

"You make it sound like you sucked.  That's the complete opposite; you don't know how beautiful your voice can sound when someone needs the comfort."

"Thanks.  My Mom had always sung those lyrics whenever I was crying, taking tantrums, or just being a moody, little brat.  Somehow, it would always manage to soothe me."  Silence swallowed the scene for a few moments before Téa spoke again, "'comfort'?  What—there is something wrong, isn't there, Joey?"  She dropped the bomb on that issue right away.

"No."  He bluntly responded.

"For a change, I'd like you to skip the bullshit and get straight to the point.  This is how you get yourself into these stupid situations!"

"FORGET IT!  FORGET I EVEN SAID ANYTHING!"  Joey flailed his arms out, exposing his bloody bandaged arm he had been sheltering with his hand.

Téa gasped and lunged her hand outward, "Joey, let me help you!" screaming in a shaky tone.

"NO!" He lost control of his body actions and clout his girlfriend against her left cheek using the back of his hand.  Her reaction sent her flying backwards onto the grass.  "You, you…YOU JERK!  Why do you have to be so mean?!"  Téa's eyes teared up and her voice became more skaken.  She vigorously folded up her fan and whacked him on the top of his head, then stomped off to the front portion of her house near the sidewalk.  Without forewarning, Téa heaved forward and screams were heard; apparently someone was involved in the accident, also.

"TÉA!  I didn't mean it—oh…wow…" Tristan, with his trenchcoat draped over his head, ran up to Joey from the scene of Yugi and Téa jumbled up on the ground.

"Before they start harping on each other…I was never here.  If Yugi asks where I am, tell him he was delirious and saw my angelic prescence."  He briefly glanced around then bent down to pick up one of the scattered dueling cards, "Shh!  If he asks about this here, it fell into the sewer, mmkay?"  He ran in the opposite direction leaving Joey completely blank.  

"I am frightened."  Joey unenthusiastically stated as he watched Tristan flee like an idiot.  The smackdown had started very quickly and ended the same way.

The minute the door slammed after Téa, Yugi was busy mumbling incoherently, shuffling up his cards off of the ground with a dour expression.  He trudged along the sidewalk, without a word of acknowledgement that Joey had been standing there.

"Well, that was easy." He glimpsed at Téa's door in the prescence of the newly shed moonlight; he walked gingerly to the stoop and took a seat, sighing, "Téa, I have something to tell you…"

"Shove it, Joey," she said, her voice muffled from behind the door.

This alarmed Joey and proceedingly after, his face faulted.

**___**

Remember kiddo, no flames. ^_^ Hope you liked this chapter.  It's about time, right?

Now enter the course of Japanese 101! =^_^=

**Japanese with MistY BluE**: 

"Ja mata ne." (jah-mah-tah-nay) = "See you later."

"Mataku no baka." (mah-tah-koo-no-bah-kah) = "Damned fool."

"Iie." (ee-ay) = "No."

"Daijobou?" (die-joh-boo) = "Are you all right?/Are you okay?"

The song that was featured in this chapter was "Yuugure" meaning "Evening."  Here is the translation from the Romanji -- Japanese translated into English letters to let foreigners learn and read the language without learning the actual Japanese characters such as Kanji (the Chinese characters of which Japanese had branched out from), Hiragana, and Katagana:

*

Looking the evening sky I wait the fall of the stars  
Eve is still far  
  
The evening sky extends, the stars are steadily falling  
The sky continues shining without rest  
  
Today I'll send you the most beautiful star  
because today you'll come to meet the most beautiful me  
Wait for me with a special smile...  
  
Eve is still far  
I wonder, if stars also fall in this city,   
can I become an angel?  
  
Because today I will send the most beautiful song,  
because today I want to tell you the (my) most beautiful feeling  
Wait for me with a special smile...  
Wait...  
  
Looking the evening sky I wait the fall of the stars...

*

Is everyone in happiness, now?  Hope so.  Please head on to the review box now! ^_^


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